Introductory description

In this module we will explore and investigate design practice from holistic and reductionist perspectives, their relationship and critiques, and discover diverse forms of thinking and making in design. Students will explore design as a cross-disciplinary endeavour through considerations of impact on personal practice and methodologies, social and life-centred design as well as systemic design. This module will challenge students to consider design practices from the artefact to the system level, and gain an understanding of positionality of design and innovation on a micro, meso and macro level. Students will explore how design has impacted the world, solved and created problems and how design processes evolve to respond to the world's ever more complex challenges. This will be done through collaborative and individual design challenges which will allow students to explore and test diverse and inventive methods to design and system thinking. Students will undertake a journey of unlearning, experimenting, play and curiosity. This is a studio module and will manoeuvre students into designerly ways of thinking, making and knowing.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Week 1 Introduction to design practice; The Four Domains of Design.
Weeks 2-3 Personal Practice and Methodologies; Design and You.
Weeks 4-7 Social Design; Designing with and for Others.
Weeks 8-10 Introduction to Systemic Design; Complexity and Problem Solving.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• To demonstrate an understanding of design as a broad multi-domain discipline.
• Choose and apply creative methods to meet the needs of design challenges and diverse stakeholders, informed by an understanding of the nature of creativity, curiosity and play.
• To establish and utilise an agile and adaptable design methodology in solving complex problems through creative and collaborative approaches.
• To demonstrate creative thinking and making approaches to design research, problem definition, ideation and concept proposal.
• Demonstrate and document design research and process in designerly ways.
• To critically evaluate and synthesise design problems and competently frame stories and design narratives for different design domains.

Research element

Foundational academic and design research skills.

Interdisciplinary

Design practice is a broad cross-disciplinary endeavour which interlinks with all aspects of life. Whilst this module is giving students a wide (systemic) overview of these intersections, specific focus will be given to disciplines of the Applied and Performing Arts, Architecture, Anthropology, Systemic and Complexity Science, Mathematics and Data Science and Ecology.

International

The content of this module is drawn from a broad set of international precedents and practitioners allowing for a multi-perspective exploration of design practice.

Subject specific skills

Design practice research methods.
Process development through design thinking, and systems thinking.
Mapping and synthesis of design and innovation throughout all design domains.
Practice as research approaches based in visual ethnography.
Systems Mapping.
Visual Data Mapping.
Co-Design and Social Design frame-working.
Rapid Prototyping.
Professional Design Pitch and Crit.
Digital visualising skills.

Transferable skills

Cross-disciplinary group work.
Mapping and scaling large-scale complex problems.
Stakeholder mapping.
Systems Mapping.
Visual Data Mapping.
Storytelling.
Digital visualisation and communication skills.
Project and time management.